For Immediate Release Thursday, February 11, 2010 Contact: 986-4702

In Your Hands
“Will the House Allow this Outrage to Continue…?” Request to House to Override Bill to Restructure Scandal Plagued
State Investment Council
Santa Fe- A letter hand delivered to Speaker Ben Lujan’s office this morning requests that the House act quickly to schedule debate and action on the veto override of a bill the Senate recently voted to override that would restructure the scandal plagued State Investment Council.

“It is in your hands,” writes the sponsor or SB 460 from last year’s regular session. “Will the House allow this outrage to continue, or together, will we take decisive action…It is now the responsibility of House Leadership to determine whether further action will be taken expeditiously on this bill.”

Senator Neville also points out that a veto override would mean a guaranteed, immediate action of restructuring the State Investment Council while other bills under consideration this session do not have any guarantee of passing, or being signed into law by the governor. “Other legislation may or may not progress through the session, but this action would assure immediate attention of the problems,” writes Neville.

Neville says the Senate passed the override in less than ten minutes and that demands on the House’s schedule should be minimal.

“Please act quickly to bring New Mexico out of the limelight of this embarrassing and costly scandal. The citizens of New Mexico deserve better, and we as elected officials are expected to deliver,” writes Senator Neville.

Letter to the Speaker Ben Lujan Attached.







February 10, 2010



The Honorable Ben Lujan
Speaker of the House of Representatives
104 State Capitol
Santa Fe, NM 87501

Dear Speaker Lujan:

Yesterday, the Senate passed overwhelmingly a veto override of Senate Bill 460 from the First Session of the Forty-Ninth Legislature. This bill would restructure the scandal plagued State Investment Council and would help restore some measure of confidence in the management of our permanent funds.

It is now the responsibility of House Leadership to determine whether further action will be taken expeditiously on this bill. Will the House allow this outrage to continue, or together, will we take decisive action?

It is in your hands. Please act quickly to bring New Mexico out of the limelight of this embarrassing and costly scandal. The citizens of New Mexico deserve better, and we as elected officials are expected to deliver. Please schedule debate and action on the veto override of Senate Bill 460 as soon as possible. This bill passed unanimously last year, and the demands on your schedule should be minimal. The Senate passed this override in less than ten minutes.

Other legislation may or may not progress through the session, but this action would assure immediate attention to the problems. There should be no conflict with any new legislation enacted after your override of Senate Bill 460. Thank you.

Sincerely,



Senator Steven Neville
415 State Capitol
Santa Fe, NM 87501

cc: House membership
Senate membership
Media